Greens pledge to tackle cost of living crisis with a retrofit revolution

Southwark Green Party candidates have pledged to tackle growing levels of fuel poverty and the cost-of-living crisis

by supporting a retrofit revolution.  

Greens point to a ground-up retrofit model, currently being implemented by Green-led Lewes District Council, that will see local councils in an area work collaboratively together to insulate and improve social housing. They say the programme will cut fuel bills, create hundreds of new jobs and slash carbon emissions.

By focusing initially on social housing, a local, stable supply chain and workforce can be created and lead to economies of scale that will help bring down the price of retrofitting for all households, including those in the private sector, Greens argue.

Green Party candidate and trainee architect Richard Taylor says:

“Southwark has a terrible history of top-down, developer-friendly regeneration that involves demolishing and displacing rather than retrofitting existing homes and respecting communities.

“We need a programme to lift people out of fuel poverty while creating hundreds of new jobs and slashing carbon emissions.

“Greens are showing leadership, demonstrating how we can do things differently and the inspiring ‘Lewes Model’ is a great example of this. This model involves neighbouring councils pooling resources to create the necessary funding and ensure there is a locally trained workforce that can both deliver a retrofit programme and boost the local economy.

“Starting with the insulation of social housing, we then have the platform to develop a guaranteed pipeline of work and economies of scale that means private rented accommodation and homeowners can also benefit from cheaper retrofitting further down the line.

 “This approach is definitely worth exploring for Southwark. Greens can bring about change for the better - cutting fuel bills, creating hundreds of new jobs, supporting communities and slashing carbon emissions.”

Green Party candidate, Richard Taylor is passionate about decent, safe, and environmentally sound homes for Southwark residents

For a full list of Green Party candidates standing for election in Southwark, click here.